Federal agents have found the individual who was responsible for making over 100 swatting calls, including over the Christmas break, targeting high-profile U.S. government officials.
According to federal agents, the person of interest is a teenager from Serbia. Officials alleged that this person was responsible for several phone calls targeting U.S. politicians during Christmas break. The teen has not been arrested, nor have charges been filed yet but are expected to soon.
Well, good, they caught this one. But what about those conservatives on this platform where were targeted? Did they find those responsible for that? https://t.co/YjdRWprP92
— Croxxed Out (@FLCons) March 15, 2024
Several politicians have been the victims of swatting, which is when someone makes a false 911 call to trigger a mass amount of law enforcement to a location, including the SWAT team, which is illegal.
The victims include former Republican presidential candidate and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY), Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Cybersecurity, Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly. It is unclear whether this particular individual is responsible for all of these swattings.
Haley reported that an unknown caller had dialed 911 on Dec. 30 and “claimed to have shot his girlfriend and threatened to harm himself while at” her South Carolina residence.
Greene reported that she had been swatted on Christmas for “like the 8th time.”
Williams told Newsweek that he had also been targeted on Christmas. Law enforcement received a call claiming that gunshots were heard at his residence. He told the outlet that he was targeted because he is “an outspoken supporter of Israel.”
Sources close to the investigation stated that the U.S. Secret Service and the FBI searched the suspect’s residence in Serbia, which led to officials confiscating computers and other electronic devices.
They’ll find the people going after democrats.
Still no suspect for the Republican swatter https://t.co/MGPAvWxfjI
— 🇺🇸Travis🇺🇸 (@Travis_in_Flint) March 16, 2024
The chief of staff for Williams confirmed that his office was notified that a “foreign national living overseas” was located and was connected to the incident.
In January, a 17-year-old from California was arrested after he was linked to several swatting calls, including a mosque in Sanford, Florida, and a courthouse. Alan Winston Filion was extradited to Florida and will be charged as an adult.
It is still unknown how many swatters there are targeting U.S. officials, but law enforcement claims to be working diligently to catch the perpetrators.
